Youth Speakup at Hopin Academy Talk Poor Performance at B.E.C.E

In recent times poor performance of student at the Basic Education Certificate Examination has been a matter of serious concern not only to parents but to the public as well. For decades, public basic schools have been branded as good-for-nothing institutions because they often produce poor results at the Basic Education 

Certificate Examinations (BECE). Their teachers are, therefore, held responsible and blamed for the setback. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) proposed the setting up of a supervisory body to enhance performance. This association is of the view that strict and regular supervision to monitor academic progress will bring sanity and lasting solutions to the canker. Hopin Academy has also taught of ways and ideas. causes and solutions to help solve the problem of  poor performance of student at the Basic Education Certificate Examination. At the Idea Platform held on September 24, 2016 at Hopin Academy questions were raised and answers were given, here is a highlights of the event. 

In your view, what are the key causes of poor performance of students at the BECE?

Blessilla Nana-afoe Aya Kandoh 1. Poverty- Students who have to work after school end up too tired to study and inability to purchase required reading materials to aid learning.
2. Low motivation of teachers.
3. Packed curriculum /classes.
4. More academic methods of instructions than practical methods.
Submitted by Myself and Abdul Raafi Mohammed-fishbone






Portia Demedeme inadequate checks on students by parents. Monitoring their activities after school. When it comes to poor performance, I think a lot is involved.
From my perspective it involves all the stakeholders of education.
parents, teachers, policy makers and the students themselves. a lot needs to be done by all.

Fuseini M Hashim I wouldn't blame the students nor the teachers but I will say the whole education system in Ghana needs a revolution.
We need to identifying the basic learning needs of these kids before we even exam them.
For example:when I was in junior high sch I used to pick anything graphic.understand there a lot of my types but how do u want them to perform when u only bomb them with theory ? ,exactly,these brothers and sister where set to fail from the jump.

Mohammed Abdulai Nabila I believe the poor performance in the Savelugu Municipality is attributable to negative inspiration from people who used unscrupulous means to make it in life. Our young ones are unfortunately increasingly falling to the everyday canker of internet fraud and believe it can save them in the future

Inusah Latifa Over use or improper use of social media.......most of the students spend much of their time on social media thus facebook,instagram,Snapchat etc rather than studying.

Selorm Romeo i think when it comes to poor performance of students at the BECE level...i will blame parents because the hardly pay attention to their wards performance and they hardly talk to them about school stuffs and what really goes down in the school..

Nat Abukari I Nat, to me in Karaga district disco dance is very rampant at our area which is causing a lot of problems especially the education said.

Abdul Rauf Abdul Mjeed GES,lack of supervision of how teachers teach(by circuit supervisors),teachers attitude towards teaching,students or pupils themselves,lack of good parenting,misuse of technology by students and people around them i.e. Mobile,phones,computers, tvs internet etc.,and mass promotion of students.

Ms. Portia said,  the curriculum is usually changed in time. According to her, the text books are mostly changed in time as they're awarded to people on contact. This also adds up to the poor performance of students. she added, Movie centers that operate at night are places that children always run to at night. Instead of leaning, they spend time in movies rather than studying. Some teachers are motivated to go to school, parents too don't have time for their children. Ms. Portia concluded by saying, All these contribute to the poor performance of during BECE. She also indicated that, inadequate preparation by Students before the exams. 

Mr. Tahiru agreed to the fact that ''  lack of good foundation given to students at the kindergarten and nursery .Mr. Tahiru said that mass promotion of students also contribute lot to the poor performance of students at the BECE . the P.T.A and assembly members do not actually help teachers teach students well and guiding students to learn. 

He also believes the DCEs don't play well their roles. 

Mr Alhassan Tahiru, a Statistics Officer of Ghana Education Service, Savelugu-Nanton Municipality, also concluded his submission indicating, some teachers refusing postings, inadequate preparation of lesson notes, lateness, absenteeism, lack of monitoring by circuit supervisors, lack of parents visiting to schools to check on their children etc Re-visit mass promotion policy, Early childhood graduates teachers to be made to teach at the KG level, adequate preparation of lesson notes, sanctions to absenteeism teachers, parents supervised etc.

Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia passionately called Mom C said,  Monitoring of teachers by GES without evaluation. This too adds up to teachers not putting up their best in teaching the students. 

Things are changing why don't we change?" mom c questioned.  Teachers must be trained very well. Some teachers cannot speak good English. She emphasized on lack of motivation for teachers in the rural areas and lack of supervision, supervision is rather on the lesson notes preparation and not on delivery. she added. "It's only snake that bites when stepped on it. Men are not snakes to say they have to bite when a girl steps on them", Mom Cee also figuratively warning male teachers taking advantage of unsuspecting girls.